Container lid with encapsulated reinforcing members



Dec. 31, 1968 B UER 3,419,184

CONTAINER LID WITH ENCAPSULATED REINFORCING MEMBERS Filed Oct. 23, 1965Sheet of 6 INVENTOR. 00/11 410 Jdxzwanaaz BYi Airmen 54 Dub 1968 D. J.ASENBAUER 3,

CONTAINER LID WITH ENCAPSULATED REINFORCING MEMBERS Filed Oct. 23. 1965Sheet 2 of 6 -56 5/ BY 54 M %m 5751 7 ,lrroe/vilff Dec. 31, 1968 D. J.ASENBAUER 3,

CONTAINER LID WITH ENCAPSULATED REINFORCING MEMBERS Filed Oct. 25. 1965Sheet 3 5/ INVENTUR.

flan 44p J 4.091154052 Dec. 31, 1968 D. J. ASENBAUER 3,419,134

CONTAINER LID WITH ENCAPSULATED REINFORCING MEMBERS Filed Oct. 23, 1965Sheet 4 INVENTOR. I w/wzpdlxi/vanaie Dec. 31, 1968 D. J. ASENBAUERCONTAINER LID WITH ENCAPSULATED REINFORCING MEMBERS Sheet Filed Oct. 23,1965 INVENTOR. Jamaal 4rw54ue BY M Dec. 31, 1968 D. J. ASENBAUERCONTAINER LID WITH ENCAPSULATED REINFORCING MEMBERS Sheet Filed 001;.23, 1965 m ll/11,1 1!

INVENTOR. 004 440 fliin/a4ase United States Patent O 3,419,184 CONTAINERLID WITH ENCAPSULATED REINFORCING MEMBERS Donald J. Asenbauer, Whittier,Calif., assignor to Shell Oil Company, New York, N.Y., a corporation ofDelaware Filed Oct. 23, 1965, Ser. No. 504,030 12 Claims. (Cl. 220-97)This invention relates generally to containers and has more particularreference to novel reinforced lids for containers, particularly stackingand nesting containers.

Many commercial products are handled in reuseable containers. In orderto conserve storage and shipping space, these containers are generallyconstructed in such a way that they may be stacked when filled andeither stacked or nested when empty. In many applications, it isdesirable to provide the containers with lids for retaining the contentsin the containers, preventing damage to the contents, and/or sealing thecontainers against the entrance of dirt and other foreign matter.Occasionally, the lids are required to be locked to the containers toprevent the unauthorized removal of the container contents.

Some stacking containers have generally uniform crosssectionaldimensions from the top to the bottom. Fabrication of lids for thesecontainers presents no particular design problem insofar as the loadsupporting capability of the lids is concerned. The reason for this is,of course, that when such containers are stacked, the bottom of eachcontainer directly overlies the upper edges of the side walls of theadjacent lower container. Accordingly, the stacking loads aretransferred from each container directly to the side walls of theadjacent lower container through the interventing rim of the lid on thelatter container. The stacking load on each container, therefore,imposes, not a bending load on its respective lid, but rather a simplecompressive load on the intervening thickness of the lid rim between theupper edges of the container side walls and the bottom of the adjacentupper container.

On the other hand, the sides of some containers are vertically tapered.For example, nesting containers are thus tapered to permit thesecontainers to be nested one inside of the other when empty. Fabricationof lids for such nesting containers does present a design problemrelative to the load supporting capability of the lids. Thus, whennesting containers, equipped with lids, are stacked, the bottom of eachcontainer rests on the central, unsupported portion of the lid on theadjacent lower container. This is due to the small cross sectionaldimensions of the bottom of each container relative to the crosssectional dimensions of the top of the adjacent lower container.Accordingly, the stacking load imposed on each container creates asubstantial bending moment or load on its respective lid. Onerequirement of lids for vertically tapered stacking containers, then, isrelatively high effective bending strength and, therefore, high loadsupporting capability.

It is evident, of course, that when vertically tapered stackingcontainers with lids are properly stacked, the stacking loads aretransferred from the bottom of each container, through the lid of theadjacent lower container to the walls of the latter container, and thenthrough these walls to the lid of the next lower container. Accordingly,a further requirement of lids for tapered stacking containers is theability to effectively transfer the stacking loads to the container sidewalls. This requirement, of course, is related to the bending strengthand load supporting capability of the lids.

When stacking containers one on top of the other, it is essential, forsafety reasons, to maintain the containers in vertical alignment inorder to afford the final container stack with maximum stability. This,in turn, necessitates accurate relative positioning of the adjacentcontainers in the stack. Preferably, adjacent containers are positivelyinterlocked against relative movement from their proper relativestacking positions. Accordingly, another desirable feature, orrequirement, of lids for stacking containers is the ability to interlockwith the adjacent containers in a container stack in such a way as tomaintain the adjacent containers in their proper stacking positions.

Other desirable features or requirements of lids for stacking containersare simplicity of construction, economy of manufacture, minimum weight,resistance to corrosion of the lid reinforcing members when thesemembers are metallic, pleasing appearance, and, in some cases, securityagainst unauthorized removal.

It is a general object of this invention to provide novel container lidswhich satisfy the foregoing and other requirements of lids for stackingcontainers.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide novel containerlids which are reinforced in a new and unique way to maximize theireffective bending strength and hence load supporting capability, therebyto uniquely adapt the lids for use on stacking containers, particularlyvertically tapered stacking containers.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide novel reinforced lidsfor stacking containers wherein the lid reinforcing means and containersare uniquely constructed to interlock in such a way as to maintain theseveral containers in a container stack in proper stacking relation.

A further object of the invention is to provide novel lids for stackingcontainers which are uniquely constructed to effectively transferstacking loads to the side walls of the containers on which they aremounted.

A still further object of the invention is to provide novel containerlids with metal reinforcing members which are encapsulated within thelids in such a way as to shield the major portions of these membersagainst corrosion.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a container and areinforced lid therefore which may be locked to prevent unauthorizedaccess to the container, and wherein the lid reinforcing members areuniquely constructed to form a part of the lid locking means.

Other objects of the invention are concerned with providing novelreinforced container lids which are relatively simple in construction,light weight, capable of economical manufacture by a simple plasticvacuum forming process, pleasing in appearance, and otherwise ideallysuited to their intended purposes.

Other objects, advantages, and features of the invention will becomereadily evident as the description proceeds.

With these and such other objects in view, the invention consists in theconstruction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of theinvention, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafterset forth, pointed out in the appended claims, and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings.

In these drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a reinforced lid according to theinvention illustrating the lid installed on a container;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the container in FIGURE 1with the lid removed;

FIGURE 3 is a section taken on line 3-3 in FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a section taken on line 4-4 in FIG- URE 3;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged section taken on line 55 in FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary vertical section taken through two stackedcontainers, illustrating the manner in which each container in a stackis vertically supported on the cover of the adjacent lower container;

FIGURE 7 is a section taken on line 77 of FIG- URE 6;

FIGURE 8 is a section taken on line 8-8 in FIG- URE 6;

FIGURE 9 is a perspective view of a modified reinforced lid according tothe invention illustrating the lid installed on a slightly modifiedcontainer;

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary perspective view of the container in FIGURE9;

FIGURE 11 is a section taken on line 1111 in FIG- URE 9;

FIGURE 12 is a section taken on line 1212 in FIG- URE 11;

FIGURE 13 is a fragmentary section taken on line 13-13 of FIGURE 11;

FIGURE 14 is a fragmentary vertical section taken through two containersof the type shown in FIGURE 9 and illustrating, particularly, the mannerin which the bottom of the upper container rests on the lid of the lowercontainer;

FIGURE 15 is a section taken on line 1515 of FIG- URE 14;

FIGURE 16 is a section taken on line 1616 in FIG- URE 14;

FIGURE 17 is a perspective view of a reinforced locking lid according tothe invention illustrating the lid disposed over a container on which itis adapted to be installed;

FIGURE 18 is a perspective view of the lid and container in FIGURE 17illustrating the lid installed on and locked to the container;

FIGURE 19 is a section taken on line 1919 of FIG- URE 18 illustrating,in phantom outline, the manner in which the lid is installed on thecontainer;

FIGURE 20 is an enlarged section taken on line 20 20 in FIGURE 19;

FIGURE 21 is a section taken on line 21-21 in FIG- URE 18;

FIGURE 22 is an enlarged view, partly broken away for the sake ofclarity, looking in the direction of the arrows on line 22-22 in FIGURE21; and

FIGURE 23 is an enlarged section taken on line 23 23 in FIGURE 21.

Referring first to FIGURES 1 through 8 of these drawings, there isillustrated a reinforced lid according to the invention and a container31 on which the lid is adapted to be installed. Container 31 has arectangular bottom wall 32, upstanding, upwardly diverging side and endwalls 34 and 36 respectively, and a rim 38 about the upper edges of theside and end walls. Container 31 may be conveniently fabricated fromrelatively light weight plastic by a vacuum forming process. The sideand end walls of the container may be tapered, as shown, for variousreasons, For example, these walls may be tapered merely to facilitateremoval of the container from a die cavity or for the sake of pleasingappearance. The side and end walls of the illustrated container aretapered, however, to permit a number of these containers to be nestedone inside of the other, when empty. The container rim 38 includes anupper wall 40 which extends outwardly from the upper edges of the sideand end walls 34, 36 and an outer lip 42 which depends from the outeredge of the upper rim Wall 40. The lip 42 slopes outwardly in thedirection of its lower edge. The bottom side and end edges of thecontainer are rounded, as shown.

The container side and end walls 34 and 36 are embossed to form thereonthe illustrated reinforcing rib formations. These rib formations includearcuate bottom wall rib formations 44 and generally fiat, verticallytapered side wall rib formations 46. The two bottom wall rib formations44 are located adjacent and generally parallel the ends of thecontainer. These rib formations define stacking grooves 48 in theunderside of the bottom wall 32 of the container. The side Wall ribformations 46 are centered relative to and rise from the ends of thebottom wall rib formations 44.

Extending into the upper side of the longitudinal portions of thecontainer rim 38 are arcuate grooves or notches 50. Each notch 50 at oneside of the container is coaxially aligned with the corresponding notchat the opposite side of the container to form a notch pair. At thispoint, it is significant to note that the axes of the notch pairs arevertically aligned with the bottom wall stacking grooves 48,respectively.

The reinforced stacking lid 30 comprises a unitary body including acentral, generally rectangular wall member 52 bounded by a parametricalrim 54. Rim 54 includes an inner wall 56 which rises from the outer edgeof the wall member 52, an upper wall 58 which extends outwardly from theupper edge of the inner wall 56, and a lip 60 which depends from theouter edge of the upper rim wall 58. The inner rim wall 56 hassubstantially the same slope as the side and end Walls 34, 36 of thecontainer 31. The upper rim wall 58 parallels the wall member 52. Theouter rim lip 60 has substantially the same slope as the lip 42 of thecontainer rim 38. The lid rim 54 defines a downwardly opening channel 62about the wall member 52 of the lid. Intermediate the ends of the lid,the wall member 52 is stepped upwardly to form a central rib formation64, and the rim 54 is stepped inwardly and upwardly to form projectingboss like formations 66 at the ends of the rib formation 64. The purposeof these formations will be explained presently.

Extending across the lid 30, about midway between the central ribformation 64 and the ends of the lid, are a pair of raisedreinforcing-stacking rib formations 67. These rib formations comprisemetal reinforcing rods 68 which are located above the upper surface ofthe wall member 52 a distance such that the upper surfaces of the rodsare substantially flush with the upper wall 58 of the lid rim 54. Wallmember 52 extends over and around the rods in such a way as toencapsulate the rods and form vertical ribs 70 between the rods and thewall member proper. The reinforcing rods 68 and ribs 70, therefore,together constitute the rib formations 67. The ends of the reinforcingrods 68 project into and across the lid channel 62, whereby the rod endsare exposed within this channel, at opposite sides of the lid.

Lid 30 is dimensioned to fit over the top of the container 31 in such aWay that the container rim 38 engages in and generally complements thelid channel 62. When the lid is properly installed on the container, theinner wall 56 of the lid rim 54 seats against the inner surfaces of thecontainer side and end walls 34, 36 and the upper wall 58 of the lid rimseats against the upper wall 40 of the container rim 38, except in theregions of the lid rim formation 66. The lip 60 of the lid rim seatsflat against the lip 42 of the container rim about the entirecircumference of the lid, thereby to effectively seal the lid to thecontainer in such a way as to prevent entrance of dirt and other foreignmatter into the container. The reinforcing rods 68 on the lid 30 arelocated to register with the notches 50 in the container rim 38.Accordingly, when the lid is placed on the container, the ends of therods seat in these notches.

It will be recalled that the notches 50 in the container rim 38 arevertically aligned with the stacking grooves 48 in the bottom wall 32 ofthe container 31. Accordingly, when the lid 30 is installed on thecontainer, the reinforcing rods 68 on the lid are located directly overthe stacking grooves. As a consequence, a number of the containers 31,may be stacked one on top of the other in such a way that thereinforcing-stacking rib formations 67 on the lid of each containerengage in the stacking grooves 48 of the adjacent upper container, asshown in FIGURE 6. The reinforcing rods 68 embodied in the ribformations 67, therefore, serve a threefold function. First, engagementof the rods on the lid of each stacked container in the rim notches 50of the respective container and in the stacking grooves 48 of theadjacent upper container positively locate the adjacent stackedcontainers in the endwise direction relative to one another, thereby tomaintain the adjacent containers in proper stacking relation in theendwise direction. Secondly, the reinforcing rods serve to reinforce thelid of each container against downward bowing or deflection under thestacking load imposed thereon by the upper containers in the stack. Inthis regard, it is significant to note that the ribs 70 underlying thereinforcing rods provide reinforcement for the rods themselves andadditional reinforcement for the lid. Third, the reinforcing rods on thelid of each stacked container effectively transfer the stacking loadfrom the adjacent upper container to the side walls of the lowercontainer. The stacking load is then transferred thru the container sidewalls to the reinforcing rods on the lid of the next lower container.

In connection with the second and third functions, just stated, of thereinforcing rods 68, it is significant to note that when containers withtapered side and end walls are stacked, as described, the bottom wall ofeach container overlies the central unsupported portion of the lid onthe adjacent lower container. As a consequence, the stacking loadimposed on the lid of each container tends to produce a substantialbending moment in the lid which must be resisted by suitablereinforcement of the lid. Also, the stacking load must be effectivelytransferred to the containers side walls. As already noted, thereinforcing rods 68 of the present lid 30 satisfy the foregoingrequirements. These requirements for lids for containers with taperedside and end walls are in contrast to those for lids for containers withstraight side and end Walls. Thus, the bottom walls of the lattercontainers, when stacked, directly overlie the side walls of theadjacent lower containers, whereby the stacking loads are transferredfrom each container directly to the side walls of the adjacent lowercontainer. As a consequence, the lids for such containers are notsubject to any appreciable bending moments and, therefore, need not beexecessively reinforced.

When a number of tapered containers of the type illustrated in FIGURES 1through 8 are stacked in the manner explained above, the major portionof the stacking load imposed on each container is transferred throughthe portions of the container side walls 34 located directly below thereinforcing rods 68 on the container lids. In this regard it issignificant to note that these maximum load bearing portions of the sidewalls 34 of the illustrated container 31 are reinforced against lateraldeflection under stacking loads by the side wall rib formations 46.

Referring to FIGURE 6, it will be observed that in a stack of thecontainers 31, the central portion of the bottom wall 32 of eachcontainer rests on the central rib formation 64 of the lid on theadjacent lower container. This rib formation supports the bottom wall ofthe upper container against bowing in the region between the reinforcingrods 68 on the lid of the lower container. Bowing of the bottom wall ofthe container is further resisted by the illustrated longitudinal ribformations in this wall. The central rib formation 64 on the lid 30, ofcourse, also reinforces the lid against bowing under the load imposedthereon by the bottom wall of an adjacent upper container in a containerstack.

As noted earlier, the reinforcing rods 68 aid in maintaining theadjacent containers in a container stack in proper stacking relation intheir endwise direction. Safe and efiicient stacking of such containers,however, further requires retention of the adjacent containers in properstacking relation in their transverse direction. The central rimformations 66 on the lid 30 are provided for this purpose. Thus, it willbe observed in FIGURE 8 that the spacing between the inner confrontingwalls of the rim formations 66 is just slightly greater than the bottomwidth of the container 31 in line with these formations. Also the heightof the rim formations 66, above the central rib formation 64 on the lid30, is slightly greater than the radius of curvature of the roundedbottom edges of the container. Accordingly, the rim formations 66 on thelid of each container in a stack of the containers 31 are effective tomaintain the adjacent stacked containers in proper stacking relation intheir transverse direction.

The reinforced lid 30 described above may be constructed in various waysand of various materials. However, because of its reinforcedconstruction and illus trated shape, the lid may be convenientlyfabricated from relatively lightweight plastic by the vacuum mouldingprocess disclosed in my co-pending application Ser. No. 461,313, filedJune 4, 1965 and entitled Stackable Container, and Mould and Apparatusfor Making.

It is evident at this point that the reinforced lid 30 may be used on acontainer without the rim notches 50'. In this case, the ends of thereinforcing rods 68 on the lid would merely seat on the fiat upper walls40 of the container rim 38. The provision of notches in the containerrim to seat the ends of the reinforcing rods, however, is preferable toprovide positive endwise location of adjacent stacking containersrelative to one another, as described earlier.

Reference is now made to FIGURES 9 through 16 which illustrate amodified reinforced lid 30a and a modified container 31a on which thelid is adapted to be installed. The lid 30a and container 31a aresubstantially identical in all essential respects to the lid 30 andcontainer 31 described earlier and differ from the latter lid andcontainer primarily only in shape. Accordingly, the various parts of thelid 30a and container 31a will be designated by the same referencenumerals, with the letter subscript a, as the corresponding parts of theearlier described lid and container. Also, the description of themodified lid and container will be somewhat abbreviated.

With this in mind, the container 31a comprises a generally rectangularbottom wall 32a, having rib formations 44a defining stacking grooves 48ain the underside of the bottom wall. The side walls 34a of the containerhave vertically tapered reinforcing rib formations 46a which rise fromopposite ends of the bottom rib formations 44a. The open top of thecontainer 31a is bounded by a rim 38a having an upper wall 40a and anouter depending lip 42a. The portions of the rim 38a extending along theupper edges of the container side walls 44a are centrally recessed at3801 The length of the recesses 3811 is substantially equal to orslightly greater than the bottom width of the container 31a, measuredbetween the ends of the stacking grooves 48a. The spacing between thestacking grooves 48a is equal to the spacing between the centralrecessed portions of the container rim 38a. These recessed portions areprovided to permit cross stacking of a number of the containers 31a whenthese containers are not equipped with lids 30a. When cross stacking thecontainers, the latter are placed one on top of the other in such a waythat the adjacent containers are disposed at right angles to one anotherand the recessed rim portions 38:1 of each container engage in thebottom wall stacking grooves 48a of the adjacent upper container.

Lid 30a has a central wall member 52a bounded by a parametrical rim 54aincluding an inner Wall 56a, an upper wall 58a, and an outer dependinglip 60a. This rim defines a downwardly opening channel 62a about the lidfor receiving the container rim 38a when the lid is placed in thecontainer 31a. The upper surface of the end portions of the rim 54a arelocated in a common plane generally parallel to the wall member 52a.Inwardly of these co-planar end portions, the rim is stepped upwardly toform raised outer rim formations 66a and further raised inner rimformations 66:1 The inner rim formations 6611 are spaced to definetherebetween central recessed rim formations 66:1 the upper surfaces ofwhich are located below the co-planar ends of the rim 54a. Extendingbetween the outer rim foundation 66(1 are reinforcing-stacking ribformations 67a including metal reinforcing rods 68a which areencapsulated by the wall member 52a. In the regions between the latterlyaligned inner rim formations 6611 the wall member 52a is steppedupwardly to form reinforcing rib formations 64a. Referring to FIGURE 11,it will be observed that the upper surfaces of the reinforcing rods 68aare disposed substantially in the same plane as the upper walls of theouter rim formations 6611 The undersurfaces of the reinforcing rods aredisposed substantially in the same plane as the undersurfaces of theupper walls 58a on the coplanar ends of the lid rim 54a.

Lid a is so dimensioned that when the lid is placed on the container31a, the container rim 38a engages in and generally complements theparametrical lid channel H 62a. The upper wall 58a of the lid rim 54a,within the co-planar end portions thereof, seats on the upper wall a ofthe container rim 38a, within the raised end portions of this rim. Theupper wall of the lid rim, within the central recessed portions 6661thereof, seats on the upper wall of the container rim, within thecentral recessed portions 38:2 thereof. Finally, the outer lip of thelid rim 54a seats against the outer lip 42a of the container rim 38a,about the entire circumference of the lid 30a, to seal the lid to thecontainer. When the lid 30a is thus installed on the container 31a, theend portions of the reinforcing rods 68a, which are exposed within thelid channel 62a, rest on the raised end portions of the container rim38a at positions directly over the bottom Wall stacking grooves 48a inthe container.

It is now evident that a number of the containers 31a, when equippedwith the reinforced lids 30a, may be stacked one on top of the other insuch a way that the reinforcing-stacking rib formations 67a on the lidof each container engage in the bottom wall stacking grooves 48a in theadjacent upper container, as illustrated in FIGURE 14. The bottom wall32a of each container, in the region between its stacking grooves, issupported on the reinforcing rib formations 64a of the lid 30a on theadjacent lower container, also as shown in FIGURE 14. Accordingly, thereinforcing-stacking rib formations 6711 on the lids 30a of the stackedcontainers serve to retain the containers in proper stacking relation intheir endwise direction, as before. The reinforcing rods 68a embodied inthe rib formations 67a reinforce the container lids 30a against downwardbowing or deflection under the stacking loads imposed thereon by theupper containers in the stack and transfer these stacking loads to theside walls 34a of the respective containers. The inner elevated rimformations 66:1 on the container lids locate the adjacent containers ina transverse direction, as in the earlier form of the invention, andthereby retain the stacked containers in proper stacking relation in thetransverse direction. The lid of each container is centrally supportedon the side walls of the respective container by engagement of thecentral recessed rim portions 66a of the lid with the central recesssedportions 38a of the container rim.

At this point, it should be noted that one significant differencebetween the lid 30 described earlier and the lid 30a just describedresides in the fact that in the latter lid, the rim 54a is steppedupwardly at the ends of the reinforcing rods 68a in such a way as topermit the undersurfaces of the rods to be disposed substantially flushwith the undersurfaces of the co-planar end portions of the upper rimwall 58a which seat on the container rim 380. Accordingly, it isunnecessary to notch the container rim to receive the reinforcing rods.This is in contrast to the lid 30, described earlier, wherein thereinforcing rods are located below the under, container rim engagingsurface of the upper rim wall 58, thus requiring the container rim 38 tobe notched at 50 to receive the ends of the reinforcing rods. It isevident, of course, that the rim 54 of the latter lid may be stepped atthe ends of the reinforcing rod 68, in a manner similar to the rim ofthe lid 30a, in order to permit the undersurfaces of the rods to bedisposed flush with the undersurfaces of the upper rim wall 58 andthereby eliminate the need for the container rim notches 50.

Reference is now made to FIGURES 17 through 23 which illustrate afurther modified reinforced lid and container according to the inventionwhich embody locking means for locking the lid to the container. Thislid and container are substantially identical, except for the lockingmeans thereon, to the lid 30a and container 31a, just described.Accordingly, lid 30b and container 3112 will not be described in detailand those parts of the lid and container which are referred to will bedesignated by the same basic reference numerals, with the lattersubscript 1), as the corresponding parts of the lid 30a and container31a.

Referring now particularly to FIGURES 19 and 20, it will be observedthat each of the reinforcing rods 68!) embodied in the lid 30b areextended and bent at one end to define a hook 6811 The lip 60b of thelid rim 54b is deformed slightly in the regions of these hooks so as toextend about the latter in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 20. Hooks68b are so dimensioned that when the lid 30b is placed on the container31b, the hooks engage under the lower edge of the container rim lip 42b,as shown in FIGURE 19, to lock the adjacent side of the lid 30b to thecontainer. When placing the lid on the container, the lid is initiallydisposed in the angular position illustrated in phantom outline inFIGURE 19 to permit the hooks 68b to be engaged under the rim lip 42b ofthe container. The lid is then rotated downwardly to its full line,final position of assembly on the container.

Secured to the lid rim 54b, along the side thereof opposite the hooks68b are a pair of latch parts 100. Each latch part comprises a bracket102 which seats against the upper wall 58b of the lid rim and is securedto the rim by rivets 104 which extend through the upper rim wall and anunderlying backing plate 106. Pivotally mounted in each bracket 102 is agenerally L-shaped latch bail 108 fabricated from a metal rod which isbent into the configuration illustrated.

Mounted on one side wall 34b of the container 31!), directly behind andbelow the lip 42b of the container rim 38b, are second latch parts 110.Each latch part 110 comprises a generally L-shaped bracket 112 includinga vertical plate 114 which seats against the adjacent container sidewall 34b and is secured to this side wall by rivets 116 which extendthrough the side wall and an inner backing plate 118. Seating againstthe front surface of and secured by the rivets 116 to each bracket plate114 is a retainer plate 120. The central portion of each retainer plateis spaced forwardly from the adjacent bracket plate 114 to definetherebetween a guideway 122. Each retainer plate 120 has a rectangularnotch 124 in its lower edge. Slideable in the guideway 122 of each latchbracket 112 is a keeper 126. As shown best in FIGURE 21, keeper 126 hasa lower tongue 128 which extends outwardly thru the respective retainerplate slot 124, then downwardly toward the underlying, outwardlydirected plate 130 of the respective latch bracket 112, and finallyupwardly at an acute angle to the latter plate to define a cam 132. Thelatch keepers 126 are freely slideable in the latch bracket guideways122, whereby when the container 31b is disposed in its normal uprightposition, the keepers are retained, by gravity, in their lower latchingpositions of FIGURE 21.

The latch parts 100 and 110 are so located that when the lid 30b isplaced on the container 3111, each latch part 100 is aligned with thecorresponding latch part 110. The latch bails 108 are so dimensionedthat when the lid is fully seated on the container, each bail isrotatable to its latching position of FIGURE 21, wherein the outerconnecting portion 134 of the bail is caged between the bracket 112 andthe keeper 126 of the respective latch part 110. During this rotation ofthe bails to their latching positions, the latch keepers 126 are commedupwardly sufficiently to allow the bails to enter their latchingpositions by engagement of the connecting portions 134 on the balls withthe upturned ends or cams 132 on the keepers. The keepers are thenreturned by gravity to the latching positions of FIGURE 21. It isevident at their point that when the latch bails 108 are disposed intheir latching positions, the lid 3% is locked to the container 31b. Themating latch parts 100, 110 are released, to permit removal of the lidfrom the container, by manually raising the latch keepers 126sufficiently to clear the connecting portions 134 of the latch bails 108and thereby permit rotation of these hails from their latchingpositions. If desired, the latch brackets 112 and keepers 126 may beapertured, as shown, to receive wire seals, locks, or the like. It isapparent that the latch keepers 126 may be spring actuated to latchingposition if desired.

It is evident from the preceding description that a number of thecontainers 31b, when equipped with lids 30b, may be stacked in the sameway as described earlier in connection with the lid and container ofFIGURES 9 through 16.

It is now apparent that the invention herein disclosed is fully capableof attaining the several objects and advantages preliminarily set forth.While the invention has limited to the details disclosed herein but isto be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and allequivalent devices.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new in support ofLetters Patent is:

1. A reinforced lid for a container having a bottom wall, upstandingside and end walls, and aligned notches extending into the upper edgesof two opposite upstanding walls, said lid comprising:

a wall member bounded by a parametrical rim defining a channel openingto the underside of said lid for receiving the upper edges of saidupstanding con tainer walls;

said rim having an upper wall, portions of which are disposedsubstantially in a common plane generally parallel to said Wall memberfor seating contact with the upper edges of said upstanding containerwalls;

a reinforcing member secured to and extending across said wall member;

the ends of said reinforcing member projecting across said channel atopposite sides of said wall member for direct seating contact with theupper edges of said opposite container walls; and

said projecting ends of said reinforcing member being disposed belowsaid plane and located for seating engagement in said container notches.

2. A reinforced lid for a container having a bottom wall, upstandingside and end walls, and a stacking groove in the underside of andextending across the bottom wall, which container is adapted to bestacked with other like containers to form a container stack whereineach container is supported on the lid of the adjacent lower container,said lid comprising:

a unitary molded plastic lid body including a wall member bounded by araised parametrical rim having an inner wall rising from the outer edgeof said wall member, an upper wall extending outwardly from the upperedge of said inner wall, and a lip depending from the outer edge of saidupper wall;

said rimdefining a channel about said wall member opening to theunderside of said lid for receiving the upper edges of said upstandingcontainer walls;

a reinforcing member extending across said wall member above the uppersurface thereof;

the ends of said reinforcing member projecting across said channel atopposite sides of said wall member, whereby said projecting ends aredisposed for direct seating contact with the upper edges of two oppositeupstanding walls of said container when said lid is placed on saidcontainer; and

said wall member extending over and around said reinforcing member inthe region between said projecting ends thereof so as to encapsulatesaid reinforcing member and define therewith a raised stacking ribengagable in said stacking groove of the adjacent upper container insaid stack.

3. A reinforced lid for a generally rectangular container having abottom wall, upstanding side and end walls, and a pair of stackinggrooves in the underside of and extending across said bottom walladjacent and generally parallel to said end walls, which container isadapted to be stacked with other like containers to form a containerstack wherein each container is supported on the lid of the adjacentlower container, said lid comprising:

a unitary molded plastic lid body including a generally rectangular wallmember bounded by a raised parametrical rim having an inner wall risingfrom the outer edge of said wall member, an upper wall extendingoutwardly from the upper edge of said inner wall, and a lip dependingfrom the outer edge of said upper wall;

said rim defining a channel about said wall member opening to theunderside of said lid for receiving the upper edges of said upstandingcontainer walls;

a pair of reinforcing members extending across said wall member abovethe upper surface thereof adjacent and generally parallel to the ends ofsaid wall member;

the ends of said reinforcing members projecting across said channel atopposite sides of said wall member, whereby said projecting ends aredisposed for direct seating contact with the upper edges of saidcontainer side walls when said lid is placed on said container;

said reinforcing members being located to register with the stackinggrooves in the bottom wall of the adjacent upper container in saidstack; and

said wall member extending over and around said reinforcing members inthe regions between said projecting ends thereof so as to encapsulatesaid reinforcing member-s and define therewith raised stacking ribsengagable in said stacking grooves of the adjacent upper container insaid stack.

4. A reinforced lid for a container having a bottom wall, upstandingside and end walls, and a rim extending outwardly from the upper edgesof said upstanding walls, said lid comprising:

a wall member bounded by a parametrical rim for seaton said containerrim; a pair of generally parallel reinforcing members secured to andextending across said wall member;

the ends of said reinforcing members projecting across said lid rim atopposite sides of said wall member, whereby said projecting ends aredisposed to overlie in vertical supporting relation said container rimat opposite sides of said container when said lid is placed on saidcontainer; and

two corresponding projecting ends of said reinforcing members extendingbelow said lid rim and then inwardly to define hooks for engaging undersaid container rim.

5. In combination:

a generally rectangular molded plastic container having a bottom wall,upstanding side and end walls, a rim about the upper edges of saidupstanding walls including an upper wall extending outwardly from theupper edges of said upstanding walls and a lip depending from the outeredge of said upper rim wall, and a air of stacking grooves in theunderside of and extending across said bottom Wall adjacent andgenerally parallel to said end walls; and

a lid on said container including a unitary molded plastic body having agenerally rectangular wall member bounded by a raised parametrical rimincluding an inner wall rising from the outer edge of said wall member,an upper Wall extending outwardly from the upper edge of said innerwall, and a lip depending from the outer edge of said latter upper wall,said lid rim defining a channel opening to the underside of said lid andreceiving said container rim, said rim lips being disposed in sealingcontact, a pair of reinforcing members extending across said wall memberabove the upper surface thereof adjacent and generally parallel to theends of said wall member, the ends of said reinforcing membersprojecting across said channel at opposite sides of said wall member andbeing disposed in vertical supporting contact with the upper edges ofsaid container side walls, said wall member extending over and aroundsaid reinforcing members so as to encapsulate said reinforcing membersin the regions between said projecting ends thereof and defining withsaid reinforcing members raised stacking rib formation on said lid, andsaid rib formations being vertically aligned with said containerstacking grooves, whereby said container is adapted to be stacked withother like containers to form a container stack wherein the bottom ofeach container is supported on the lid of the adjacent lower containerand said rib formations on the lid of each container engaged in saidstacking grooves of the adjacent upper container to restrain theadjarent containers against relative movement in a transverse directionof said rib formations.

6. The combination according to claim 5 wherein:

said lid rim includes elevated container locating portions at oppositeends of said rib formation for restraining the adjacent containers insaid stack against relative movement in the endwise direction of saidrib formations.

7. In combination:

a container having a bottom wall, upstanding side and end walls, and arim extending outwardly from the upper edges of said upstanding walls;

a lid on said container including a wall member bounded by aparametrical rim, said lid rim seating on said container rim, a pair ofgenerally parallel reinforcing members extending across and secured tosaid wall member, the ends of said reinforcing members projecting acrosssaid lid rim at opposite sides of said wall member and being disposed invertical supporting relation to the upper edges of the adjacentupstanding container walls, and two corresponding projecting ends ofsaid reinforcing members extending below said rim and then inwardly todefine hooks engaging under said container rim to secure one side ofsaid lid to said container; and

cooperating latch means on the opposite side of said lid and on saidcontainer for releasably locking said lid to said container.

8. The combination according to claim 7 wherein:

said cooperating latch means comprises a first latch part on said lidand the second latch part on said container;

said first latch part comprises a bracket secured to the upper side ofsaid lid rim and a generally l-shaped latch bail pivotally mounted onsaid bracket on an axis generally parallel to the adjacent side of saidlid rim and including an outer bail member extending generally parallelto said axis; and

said second latch part comprises a generally L-shaped bracket includinga first plate secured to the adjacent container side wall and a secondplate extending outwardly from the lower edge of said first plate, and akeeper mounted on the first bracket plate for normally vertical movementrelative thereto between a latching position of engagement with saidsecond bracket plate and an unlatching position remote from said secondbracket plate, said keeper having an inclined camming end; and

said latch bail is swingable to and from a latching position whereinsaid bail member is caged between said keeper and said bracket of saidsecond latch part and through a position wherein said bail memberengages said camming end of said keeper to elevate said keeper to itsunlatching position.

9. A latch for containers and the like comprising:

first and second cooperating latch parts;

said first latch part including a bracket and a generally L-shaped balepivotally mounted on said bracket, said bail having an outer bail memberextending generally parallel to the pivot axis of said bail; and

said second latch part comprising a generally L-shaped bracket includinga first plate and a second plate extending transversely from one end ofsaid first plate, a keeper slideably mounted on said first plate formovement to and from a latching position of engagement with said secondplate wherein said latter bracket and keeper define therebetween a spacefor receiving and caging said bail member when said latch bail isdisposed in latching position relative to said second latch part, andsaid keeper including a camming surface engagable by said bail memberfor elevating said keeper from said latching position thereof duringpivotal movement of said latch bail to said latching position thereof.

10. In combination:

a container having a bottom wall and upstanding side and end walls; and

a lid on said container including a wall member bounded by aparametrical rim, said rim seating on the upper edges of said upstandingcontainer walls, a reinforcing member secured to and extending acrosssaid wall member, and the ends of said reinforcing member projectingacross the underside of said rim at opposite sides of said wall memberand being disposed in vertical supporting contact with the upper edgesof the adjacent upstanding container walls;

said lid rim including an upper wall having portions locatedsubstantially in a common plane generally parallel to said wall memberand disposed in seating contact with the upper edges of said upstandingcontainer walls, and said projecting ends of said reinforcing memberbeing disposed below said plane and engaging in notches in the upperedges of the adjacent upstanding container walls.

11. In combination:

a container having a bottom wall, upstanding side and end walls, and astacking groove in the underside of and extending across said bottomwall; and

a lid on said container including a wall member bounded by aparametrical rim, said rim seating on the upper edges of said upstandingcontainer walls, and a raised stacking rib formation rising above andextending across said wall member in vertical alignment with saidcontainer stacking groove, whereby said container is adapted to bestacked with other like containers to form a container stack wherein thebottom of each container is supported on the lid of the adjacent lowercontainer and said rib formation on the lid of each container engages insaid stacking groove of the adjacent upper container to interlock theadjacent containers against relative movement in a transverse directionof said rib formation;

said lid further including a reinforcing member en- 13 capsulated withinsaid rib formation, the ends of said reinforcing member projectingacross said rim at opposite sides of said Wall member and being disposedin vertical supporting relation with the upper edges of the adjacentupstanding container Walls. 12. The combination according to claim 11wherein: said lid rim includes elevated container locating portions atopposite ends of said rib formation for restraining the adjacentcontainers in said stack against relative movement in the endwisedirection of said rib formation.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 235,757 12/1880 Eno 2922492,208,722 7/1940 Doty 24-73 X 2,477,965 8/1949 Cribb 220-97 2,892,5566/1959 Gordon 22024 X FOREIGN PATENTS France. France. Great Britain.

THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

G. E. LOWRANCE, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R.

1. A REINFORCED LID FOR A CONTAINER HAVING A BOTTOM WALL, UPSTANDING SIDE AND END WALLS, AND ALIGNED NOTCHES EXTENDING INTO THE UPPER EDGES TO TWO OPPOSITE UPSTANDING WALLS, SAID LID COMPRISING: A WALL MEMBER BOUNDED BY A PARAMETRICAL RIM DEFINING A CHANNEL OPENING TO THE UNDERSIDE OF SAID LID FOR RECEIVING THE UPPER EDGES OF SAID UPSTANDING CONTAINER WALLS; SAID RIM HAVING AN UPPER WALL, PORTIONS OF WHICH ARE DISPOSED SUBSTANTIALLY IN A COMMON PLANE GENERALLY PARALLEL TO SAID WALL MEMBER FOR SEATING CONTACT WITH THE UPPER EDGES OF SAID UPSTANDING CONTAINER WALLS; A REINFORCING MEMBER SECURED TO AND EXTENDING ACROSS SAID WALL MEMBER; THE ENDS OF SAID REINFORCING MEMBER PROJECTING ACROSS SAID CHANNEL AT OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID WALL MEMBER FOR DIRECT SEATING CONTACT WITH THE UPPER EDGES OF SAID OPPOSITE CONTAINER WALLS; AND SAID PROJECTING ENDS OF SAID REINFORCING MEMBER BEING DISPOSED BELOW SAID PLANE AND LOCATED FOR SEATING ENGAGEMENT IN SAID CONTAINER NOTCHES. 